Detergent compositions



. mesa UNITED STATES PATENT oFncE DETERGENT COMPOSITIONS Jay C. Harris, Dayton, Ohio, assignor to Monsanto Chemical Company, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Delaware No Drawing. Application November 23, 1948, Serial No. 61,740

combination of ethylene oxide condensation products of alkyl phenol, particularly the octyl and nonyl phenol with sodium carbonate, sodium silicate, tetrasodium pyrophosphate and carboxy methyl cellulose, the disclosed products being useful for detergent purposes.

I have found that the detergent power of such combinations is greatly influenced by the particular combination of ingredients present in the combination. I have also found in testing these and similar compositions that sodium silicates are desirably present in these compositions, particularly when they are to be employed in washing machines constructed of vitreous enameled steel or of aluminum. The eifeet of sodium silicate, when present in the ratio of from to 25% by weight, based on the anhydrous composition as given below, is to minimize, and in many cases entirely prevent, the ccrrosiveeiiect of aqueous solutions of these detergents upon such structural materials. The liquid form of sodium silicate known as water glass should not be employed because of its adverse eiiect on the product. The phosphates and carbonates in the compositions may be in the hydrated or anhydrous form; however, when water of hydration is present, allowance should be made for the amount present in order to maintain the ingredients when dissolved in water within the ranges of proportions disclosed and claimed.

Within the limits stated the corrosive efiect of water solution thereof is maintained at a minimum and in many case entirely eliminated without adversely decreasing the detersive eiiiciency of the composition. The highdetersive eiliciency of my composition is obtained by restricting the amount of sodium silicate present to the limits herein stated.

The NazO SiOz ratio of the sodium silicates employed should be held within the limits indicated so that the solid silicates will dissolve in the detergent solution at a rate suiiiciently rapid so 2. that they will be effective for corrosion prevention from the instant of solution of the detergent. They should, moreover, be employed in the amount stated, since I have found that quantities below the lower limits herein provided are ineffective for the purpose, while quantities above the upper limit are undesirable, because of an adverse effect upon the detersive efllciency of the composition.

' The composition of my improved detergent should be maintained within the limits stated below, all parts being by weight:

Parts Condensation product of tertiary octyl or nonyl phenol with from 5-20 moles of ethylene oxide per mole of said phenol..- Tetrasodium pyrophosphate or sodium tripolyphosphate Sodium silicate, NazO SiOz ratio=1z2 to Starch Alkaline material selected from the class consisting of sodium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate and mixtures thereof 10-25 Carboxy methyl cellulose 0.5-5 Totalv to give parts of detergent composition.

For washing soiled textiles, the above compositions are dissolved in hot water to give preferably a 0.1% to 0.2% solution, although other concentrations may also be employed.

The following more specific examples illustrate this invention:

Example 1 A composition consisting of an intimate mixture of the following ingredients is prepared, the proportions being based on the anhydrous salts:

Parts Condensation product of one mole of tertiary octyl phenol with 10 moles of ethylene ox- Total 100 The above composition was prepared by ad the octyl phenol-ethylene oxide condensation product to the finely divided tetrasodium pyrophosphate in a mixing device and then adding the sodium carbonate, the sodium silicate, and the carboxy methyl cellulose. The order of addition is not critical. The ingredients, all of which are in finely divided form, may be added in any desired order.

Example 2 Parts Condensation product of one mole of tertiary nonyl phenol with moles of ethylene oxide Sodium tripolyphosphate 40 Sodium carbonate 15 Sodium silicate (anhydrous), NazO Si02= 1:3.2 10 Starch 14 Carboxy methyl cellulose 1 Total 100 Example 3 Parts Condensation product of one mole of tertiary nonyl phenol with 10 moles of ethylene oxide 20 Tetrasodium pyrophosphate 40 Sodium sesquicarbonate 18 Sodium silicate (anhydrous), NazO S102:

1:2 20 Carboxy methyl cellulose 2 Total 100 The above compositions provide examples of detergents exhibiting maximum detergency w t out noticeable corrosive efiect upon vitreous en= amel or upon aluminum washer baskets.

What I claim is:

1. A detergent composition consisting or we parts thereof, of the following ingredients in parts by weight:

. Parts Condensation product of a tertiary allsyl phenol having from 8-9 carbon atoms in the alkyl chain with from 5-20 moles of ethylene oxide per mole of said phenol" 15-25 A sodium phosphate selected from the class consisting of tetrasodium pyrophosphate and sodium tripolyphosphate Sodium silicate, NazO SiOz ratio=lz2 to 118.2 Starch alkaline material selected from the class consisting of sodium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate and mixtures thereof 10-25 Carboxy methyl cellulose 0.5-5

10-25 il-ZO 2. A detergent composition consisting of the following ingredients in parts by weight:

Parts Condensation product of one mole of tertiary octyl phenol with 10 moles of ethylene oxide 20 Tetrasodium pyrophosphate Sodium carbonate 24 Sodium silicate (anhydrous), NaaO SiOz= 1:2 15 Carboxy methyl cellulose 1 3. A detergent composition consisting of the following ingredients in parts by weight:

Parts Condensation product of one mole of tertiary octyl phenol with 15' moles of ethylene oxide 20 Sodium tripolyphosphate 40 Sodium carbonate 15 Sodium silicate (anhydrous), NazO SiO2= 113.2 10 Starch 14 Carboxy methyl cellulose 1 4. The process which comprises dissolving in water a detergent product having a composition as defined by claim 1 to form a detergent solution and then washing textiles therewith, said washing process being conducted in the presence of vitreous enameled or aluminum surfaces, whereby corrosion of said surfaces normally occurring in the absence of the sodium silicate contained in said product is substantially prevented.

5. The process which comprises dissolving in water a detergent product having a composition as defined by claim 2 to form a detergent solution and then washing textiles therewith, said washing process being conducted in the presence of vitreous enameled or aluminum surfaces, whereby corrosion of said surfaces normally occurring in the absence of the sodium silicate contained in said product is substantially prevented.

REFERENKJES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Nusslein et a1 Nov. 23, 1943 FORHGN PATENTS OTHER- REFERENCES Ser. No. 434,620, Rudy et al. (A. P. C.), published May 25, 19%3.

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1. A DETERGENT COMPOSITION CONSISTING OF 100 PARTS THEREOF, OF THE FOLLOWING INGREDIENTS IN PARTS BY WEIGHT: 